The Grey Crowned-Crane is a non-migratory species of crane found in parts of Africa. They reside in eastern Africa down into South Africa.
Grey Crowned-Cranes are named for their predominately dark grey body plumage, and for the elaborate crown of stiff golden feathers on their heads.
Grey Crowned-Cranes are omnivorous, feeding on snakes, fish, frogs, seeds, grains, and other food items. Along with the Black Crowned-Crane, this species has an elongated rear toe which allows it to roost in trees. They are the only cranes with this ability.
The Grey Crowned-Crane is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2013 by BirdLife International. This species has been uplisted to Endangered because threats such as habitat loss and the illegal removal of birds and eggs from the wild have driven very rapid declines during the past three generations (45 years).
Happy Friday! We're celebrating cranes this week. Today we're sharing some fun free downloadable coloring pages. Cranes tend to have a lot of grey, black, and white in their plumage (not counting the Painted Crane). Many cranes, like North America's Sandhill Crane, have a bare patch... Read more »
